Lawn-mower.



' HJ, FARMER; Y `LAWN mwen, AFPLIIIATIOM` FILED AUG. 16, 1915.

mmm FQ-b. 22, ma;

2 SHEETSNSHEET I- y HIL /Jnamer H. J. FARMER.

LAWN IVIOWER. #PLICATION* FILED aus. 16. 1915.

Patented, Pebl 22, 19112;.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mam pfignassa;

`` infinitum #mag/concern." 1, j. Gide it" knownthatl, Herinner-J .1 FARMER, a

.iiRichinonch` in* the county of Wayne and jState of Indiana, have invented a newk and j usefulfLawmMower, of which the followlng isaspecificationw .i a lawnmower in which the cutting element'` `naar befasseinbledas a unit away from .the "iframe, andmay be adjusted in the frame for cutting grass to i lijground; which thecutter barblade may 3 be adjusted relatively tothe cutting reel, and

" "Maffay be made to yield when obstacles are j fjencounteredpr beset rigidly gand inwhich rear? c inatically held down to thegroundand the @tandis heldup. t

` obliquely from k.the rear, of a lawn mower embodying my invention, with the "cutting` element `set "similar tol setgforifrontcutting.; Eiga is a'perspective from the right.' hand side, showing the" -cuttingelement removed from the j frame andthe d vingwhe'els in position 1n 1- theiiirame and y g. isla view showing' the relative adjustmentzv'betw'een the reelhanger and the" cutter bari 1 1 F Theidrivingwheels lO'a're mountedinfa frame which comprises a .U-shaped bar 11 chirieland has forwardly and upwardly ex are located onthe inner isides of the driving i y i g wheels 10 andare 'connected tc.y thearms'11` .y byjtheshouldered ends of acrossbrace and @and fined tothe usual operatingghandle 17 citizenfofthe UnitedStates, residing at Itiis `the Aobjectief invention to; provide different lengths and forl cuttingfjeither in advancel oior behind the "i iline 1 where .the i driving wheels engage `the y part` of the lawn mowe'rfds auto f `ireniftheright `bandi'side; Fig.` Spisa View" f Fig.` 1, but showing `the \mowerj f i winchextends4 lacross the rear `of the inai "tending arzhsflilll on the outside ofthe dr iv" i ing `wheels10; `and curvedbars `12 which `jtie rod 13 which 'parallels `the 4baseof the i pivotedftoythe curved bars 12 bolts 16V nn'annnru. rennen, or mcHMoNn, Inmann.

j LAWNMQWER.

` Specification of Letters Patent. Patent-,ea Feb. `22 1316 `riminese@ mea August is, 19157. serial iro. 45,646.

11'` and. its associated curved bar 12 are connected at such forward ends to the driving wheel between thern` by a pivot 'bolt v18 passing through the center of such driving wheel.` The driving wheels 10, however, are not mounted directlyon the bolts' 18, but lare mounted on trunnions 20 which surround such bolts 18 and form part. of cross bars 21 iied to adjustment rings 22pwhich t within .the driving wheels 10 when the mower 1s assembled. The two cross bars 21 -are interconnected nearone end by across bar` 2.3, and near theotherby the shaft 24 of' cutting reel having the usual blades 25,'such shaft 24 being jcurnaled in such cross bars 21 andbeing providedon its ends with the usualratchet pinions 26 which vmesh with internal gea-rs 27 on the driving wheels 10 when the mower is assembled, soA that/forward movement "of the driving wheels 10 drives the reel 25 forward also.

.Thusthe axisof `the reel 25 is offset from i .the axis ot the driving wheel 10. Each ad justment -ring `22 isy provided with .a number `ofholes 28; arranged in'two groupsfand a `screw or bolt29 'in the adjacent curved arm 12` may be made to .coperate with any of suchl holes 28, by swinging the reel hanger 21e-22 on the pivot bolts 18. By the difierent holes 28 inthe groups, .the height of the cutting reel 25 from the ground may be varied to 'vary the length to which the' grass is cut, andby the two groups of holes 28 the cutting reel 25 may be made tobe in the rear of the line where the driving wheels 10 en- `gagetheground,as shown in Figs. l and 2 and in full lines in Fig. 5, or in advance of such line, as shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. v5. adjusting the mwer to suit any desired conditions. i j

The ends of the cross bars 21 in which This provides' forv i the shaft 2f1isijournaled are provided on their inner faces. with an annular flange 30 concentric` with the shaft 24 and with a disk-shaped`fylange 31. Cutter bar hangers 32 are provided with arcfshaped notches at their upper r ends 'for fitting around the iianges .30, and carry screws 34 for fitting in different holes 35 inthe iiange 81. toA

`maintain the cutter bar hangers 32 in sub- 'l stantially the .saine position with relation vto the ground as the reel hanger 214-22 is changed in its different positions; as indicated in full -and dotted lines in Fig. 5.

' ciated piece 39.

There may any desired number of the holes 35, though I have kshown but each group of the..holes 28. i

In the lowerV ends of the cutter bar hang-l ers 32 is carried the cutter bar, which is shown as a halfround steel'bar 36 to which is screwed a steel blade 37 which coperates withthe blades 25 of the rotating wheel to cut the grass in the usual manner. The ends of thev bar 36 are squared, and fixed on such` squared ends-,by 'screws .38 are metal pieces '39 having front upwardly extending arms 40 and rear upwardly extending arms 41. The pieces 39. also have bearing extenthe lower, ends of the cutter bar hangers 32, as is.clear from' Fig. 5.y The outer face of each putter bar hanger 82 is provided with a lug"43 (see Fig.' 4.), in which is a threaded hole to receive a screw 44, the forward end of which bears against-the front arm 40 and the rear part of which passes through a vertical slot 45 in the rear arm 41 of the asso- A thimble or washer 46 surrounds the screw 44 and bears against the front face of the rear arm 41, being pressed rearwardly Vby a spring 47 .acting between such thimble or washer and a nutv 48 on the screw44. The 'springs 47 act` to. '1 throw the two pieces'BQ and therefore the cutterv bar .S6-37 yin the direction to bring the edge osuchcutter bar upward against the blades of the reel 25, but the limit of such upwardv movement is adjusted by the screws '44 so that justthe right pressure of the rotating blades on the cutter bar 1s obtained. .lf an obstacle is encountered,

such asa nail which gets between the revolving blades and the cutter bar, the spring-s 47 allow the cutter bar to yield so thatsuchobstacle does no damage. lf desired,ithe,nuts 48 may be adjusted to prevent such yielding, by being tightened vto cause the 'coils Aof the springs 147 .to engage one lanother solidly. This may be desired, l.

. ingr nieans interconnecting such rear lend and such handle and pressing the former downwardand the latter upward. 1n the form shown, Ycompression springs' 50 suryround rods 51 which are plvoted at thelr of: the springs 50 bear, these abutmcnts 53 being pivoted in supports 54 whichin turn -f are mountedon. the handle-carrying bars one for f sions 42 which rotatably fit within holes in. Y

cutter bar shall of the ina-i"v l justable about the axis ofthe driving wheels to difierent positions relativeto the frame'.

"and havingfits axisplset fro 'the "driving wheels, a frame `pivotally con- 1,172,444 .l v' I 15. By adjusting the lower ends of the.

vsprings-'Q 'inz. tlie holes in. thebars 51, the height' of thel operating handle 17 may 'be adjusted as desired,and the rear of the mowermay'be held down with any desired pressure. 'l

Mounted in suitable bearings' on the U-shaped member 11 of the main frarneis the shaft 56 'of ,a rear roller 57, which is made in a plurality of sections, as is clear from Figs. 1 and 3. These sections can rotate independently, and thereby lessen the the 'parts .shown in the rightihand half .of

a unit beforerbeing. associated'with the driv- Thejcutting element, which includes all ing lwheels r. and frame, shown in theleft hand half 'of A. VThis cuttingunit can be adjusted 'aonnd'the vtrunnin's 20 for cutting the grass either short or long, by

putting they screws 29 in different ones of.

ment of the latteraroun'd the trunnions20..v i.

. The-cutterbar and cutterbanhangers may be removed, by first removing the 4screws ated withoutcutting; as, for instance, for

the purpose of sweeping the grass by means' of brushesattached tov the bladesl 25 into the ordinary grass-catcher which maybe hung behind the mower.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lawn mower, comprising the combination ,of driving wheels, a reel hanger hung frointhe axis of said driving wheels, a cutting reel carried y said reel hanger and having its axis offset from the axis of the 'driving wheels, and a frame pivotally connected" with the driving wheelsfat their axes, said frame interoonnectingv the Adriving "34, thus permitting the mower to -be operwheels and having an, oilsetground-engagj ing portion 'for positioning it, and'said reel hanger and cuttingreel being rotatably ad- 2. A lawn mower, comprising vvthe combination of` drivingA wheels, a-reel hanger hung from-theaxisof saidy driving wheels,

acutting reel `carriedby said reel hanger neet-ed with the drivingwheels attheir axes, said frame interconnecting 'the driving wheels and having an olfset ground-engaging portion for positioning it, 'and means the axis .of

" fr: ne with thocutting roel, either in (n orin the rear `o'lithe vertical plane llelaxis ofthe driving Wheels'.

` ujn nifnvor,troinprising tlie coni- )fydritingwheels, a reel hanger ronrthe axisols id drhng wheelsV a 4lrcariiedbv said reel hanger land ts 'axis oll'set frontlthe'axis of the i wheels,` a 'f1-aine` `pivotally Vconnected n-'itl the driving wheels` at ltheir axes, said niger-land cutting reel being rotatably `adjustabl"eallout the a'Xis kof the driving" 20 Mwhee `,toisdiil"erent positions relative to the fram nd,alcutteibarfhung from said'reel` `,hangerandadjustable about the axisof'the l riittinofreel,l`

l lawn` mower,` comprising' the eoini,of]drivmgwheel, a reel hanger fitting reel carried by said reel hanger Vhavingits axis offset fromthe axispf t e ,i riving `wheels, a? frame jpivotally con- "inectedtitli the driving Wheels at their axes, means; for-"attaching said reel hanger to said @fram wzwitlithe `cutting,reel eitherin ad-` `nance erin the rearfof the vertical plane i through;the,` axis of thqlriviiig Wheels,a "utterbar carried by said reel ihanger, and an forjfastening saidcutterbarftofthe `ree hangen-in different relative positions {angul rly about theaxis-of the cutting reel, "so, thjl ythe cutter baribearsthe proper relaf tion't `thelrutti'ng reel and thekground both whe `the ntting'reel is .in advance of and inftllieluearfof such Verticalplane. i

" G lawn mower,` comprising the` comperatingwith said knitting reel,` a inavhich saidcutter bar 1s plvoted a Screw ad] ustably mounted in n gainst said` nut and said second forcingthe `edge said cutterbar he outting reel.

ilainmower, comprising ,the coms i operating with said `cutting reela j Supl lnlwhlclisaidcutter bar 1s 'pivoted eo ythat tsedge may swing to and fromthe cuttlnff eel," a pair ofarms fixed on said Lira-144 @frame pivotally connected to said supporti ing wheels at the axis thereolA and interconlor attaolungfsaid reel hanger,`

i 'said cutting' reel.

ornfitheaxis of said :driving wheels,

ofia` rotating cutting reel, a cutter" edge niayswing to andfrom the l "l l i support and, bearing againsty one oli Ins, nut `on saidf screw, and` a comprlng `surroundimg saidy screw and onfofgzfa `rotatinkgtcutting reel, a cutter` bar, a screw adjustmally` mounted in s'iidf pportand bearing against one of said i, f and a: compression spring surround` ing `saidserew und bearing against said sec ond arm for forcing the edge of said cutter bar toward the, cutting reel.

` 8," lawn mower, comprising the comH bination of' a pair of supporting wheels, a

netting'` thorn, said frame having an ollset gromnl-engaging portion Jfor positioning it, and a rotting ell-ment which, as a unit is hung` :from said frame on the axis of said 7 supporting' wheels, said cutting unit includingV a reel the axis of which is offset from the axis of said supporting; wheels and being rotatably adjustable about the of said supporting Wheels to varythe position ot' fl), A lawn mower, coinprising the coinbination of a pair of supportingr wheels, a framef-pirotally connected to said snppolt ing wheels at the axis thereof and interconnectingy them, said 'frame having an ol'set ground-engaging portion for positioning it,

and a` cutting elementwhich as a unit is' hung from sa1d frame on the axis of said supporting Wheels.` 96

10. A lawn mower, comprising the coin-l bination of a pair of supporting Wheels, a.

fra-ine to which said wheels are pivotally connected, said .frame interconnecting said supporting wheels and haring an offset ground-engaging portion for positioning it, cutting devices carried by said frame and adjustable relatively,y thereto, a handle pivoted to said frame, and springs" acting between said handle and the rear of said frame for forcing the handle upward and the rear ofs'aid frame downward.'

11. A lawn mower, comprising the combination of `supporting Wheels, a frame to which said Wheels are pivotally connected at their axes, abutting reel carriodby said frame, a cutter bar coperating W1th`sa1d A cutting. reel, and supporting means for said.

cutter 'bar `removably attachable to said frame in anyof a'plurality'of different an- *gular positions about the axis of the cutting reel, so that saidsupportine means and cutter bar maybe rotatably 'adjusted about the axisfof the cutting reel. o 1 1 Y 12. A' lawn mower, comprising the coniliination of a rotating cutting reel, 'a cutter i bai' coperating with saidzcutting reel, a. support in which said cutter barfis pivoted so that its edge may swing to and from the cutting reel, .a pair of arms fixed on said cutter bar, a screw adjustably mounted in said'support and vbearing` against one of said farms,` a nut on said screw, and a compres 13.v A lawn mower comprisingv the com-l bination of a pair o -supporting ',Wheels, a,

frame pivotally connected to said support?,

a cutter-bar which is-eiijustalolel about the" axis of said reel, 'said cutting unit being rotatably adjustable as; ya, wheleielatively to the frame about the aXiS of said supporting 15 Wheels. y In Witness'whereof,l HERBERT J.FARMER have hereunto set'my hantat Richmond,

`Indianathis 13th d ay of August1915,rA. D.

one thousand ninehundred zind'fteen.

HERBERT J. FARMER. 

